When love meets reality
by krissixh
Summary: A man who wants to live. A woman who will die. Levi and Hanji are both young, successful and they are living their lives to the fullest - until Hanji finds out that she has cancer. Completely overcharged with the situation Levi immerses himself obsessively in affairs, only to numb the feeling of fear. However, he knows that there is nothing left but to face reality - for Hanji.
1. Chapter 1

.

_All stories, _

_if continued far enough,_

_end in death_

_and he is no true-story teller_

_who would keep that from you._

_(-Ernest Hemingway)_

_._

* * *

><p>They were rushing down through the hospital corridor, past the other patients who were waiting on the uncomfortable red plastic chairs placed in front of the doors. The people waiting were sizing them up; it was obvious that they were new here. Levi could already guess what they were thinking:<p>

_Look at that poor couple. _

_Looks like this poor woman just found out that she has cancer. _

_They're so young, they shouldn't be here._

_Damn right, we shouldn't. Yet, there we are _– he thought bitterly. Up to 20 minutes ago, their lives were pretty normal. They were both young, successful and they lived like the king and queen of Trost with their little baby girl. Up to 20 minutes ago, the world seemed to be in the best of order.  
>Levi put his hand protectively around Hanji's waist and shot the curious patients a mad glance. As if they were the ones to blame that his wife had cancer. As if it would cure her, if the people stopped looking at them.<p>

With a tearstained Hanji, he left the hospital. The worst part about the whole situation was the certainty that they would have to come back in a very short time and that from now on, everything would be getting worse and worse.

./.

_- 5 years ago. - _

Levi's co-workers had suggested that they should celebrate New Year together. At first, Levi wasn't very excited about this idea. In his opinion, the perfect way to spend that one night was to get wasted and preferably end it with sex. Having ones colleagues around while hitting on someone didn't seem very appealing to him. He just wanted to relax, without having to worry about his reputation in the office. Not that they didn't know about his lifestyle though.

If it wasn't for Gunther, who managed to organize tickets for the party at the 'Titan', Levi would have cancelled. However, the 'Titan' club was famous for its legendary New Years' parties and only a lunatic would pass up such a golden opportunity.

Thus, Levi ended up at a table with his other 4 colleagues.

The night started promisingly: fancy music, good drinks and a lot of attractive people.

"Hey, guys. Has anyone seen Petra?" Auruo screamed to drown out the music.

"Why? Having any plans with her?" Gunther asked with a teasing grin that only earned an offended look from Auruo. Everyone in the office knew that he had fell head over heels for her, except for Petra it seems. Levi, however, was sure that she indeed had noticed it, but she just played the ignoramus.

"There she is," Erd offered his help and pointed on the dance-floor. The other three guys followed where he was pointing. Petra was dancing with another guy, yet that wasn't the thing that caught Levis' attention.

A few steps away, there was someone dancing alone. Judging by the short skirt they were wearing, it was a woman. She whirled and jumped around to a rhythm only she seemed to hear, because it definitely didn't match the beat that blasted out of the loudspeakers. It looked hilarious, yet no one around seemed to pay attention to her. She spun around again, so that she was facing the direction where, among other things, Levis' table was. Her hips were moving arrhythmically while she tucked the loose hair strands behind her ear. She looked up and her eyes met Levi's. An amused grin spread across her face and Levi couldn't help but to grin back.

.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

The amused grin was still across her whole face. "That's a poor pick-up line."

"With that dancing style of yours, you should be grateful that anyone actually hits on you," Levi said with a teasing tone in his voice.

"Is that so?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and crossed her arms in front of her rather flat chest.

Normally, Levi wouldn't be the guy who'd talk like that with women he wanted to get in his bed, but there was something provocative in her eyes and he couldn't help himself.  
>"Watching the way you dance, I was afraid that you had an epileptic seizure."<p>

She cocked her head to the right side and looked at him with furrowed brows. He watched her bite her lower lip and her chest began to shudder. Just as Levi thought that he went too far, she busted out in a loud laughter. Soon, she had to gasp for air while laughing, which caused her to squeak. As he stood there and watched the scene in front of him, Levi was sure that this woman was utterly crazy.  
>"Asshole, you don't even know what an epileptic seizure actually is," she said while she brushed a tear away. Again, that stupid grin appeared. "I'll take vodka on the rocks."<p>

.

"You know," she said, as they sat down on the barstools; "normal people ask strangers for their names."

"What makes you think that I want to know it?"

She smirked diabolically, and then she leaned forward to Levi, resting her hand on his bar stool; on the little free space between his thighs. "So you'd know what to moan later," she breathed against his ear and_, fuck_, Levi would be lying if he said that it didn't turn him on.

She backed away and took her drink. "Anyway, thanks for the drink," she said with a wink and jumped down from the stool. Before Levi even realized what was going on, that damn woman disappeared in the crowd on the dance-floor.

Disbelievingly, he left the bar and headed back to his table. He noticed that Auruo and Petra weren't there anymore and instead, Gunther and Erd were chatting with some girls. Levi sat down next to them, but he didn't really joined their conversation. Instead, his gaze wandered around and searched for that stupid woman. The raven couldn't recall the last time someone played with him like she just did.

He found her leaned against the wall next to the door. Her arms were crossed again and her gaze was fixed on Levi. The moment their eyes met, she raised her eyebrow provocatively.

"I'll be leaving," Levi yelled over the music and stood up, grabbing his jacket.

"What? Already?" Gunther called after him, but Levi ignored him.

He thrust past the dancers and approached that silly grinning woman. Before she could say anything, Levi grabbed her by the cleavage of her blouse and pulled her down for a kiss. He watched her eyes widen in surprise, but quickly after it, he felt her lips widen in a smile under his. She closed her eyes and tilted her head lightly, her hands wandered over Levis' back up to his head, where she grabbed his hair. Only reluctantly, Levi backed off to gasp for air.

"Levi," he said.

"What?"

"Only telling you what you'll moan later," he said, copying her previous tactic.

"Very witty, are we?" she laughed.

"Figured, I'd maybe have a chance if I use your shitty pick-up lines."

Without any other comment, she removed his hands from her blouse. However, she only let go of one. Still holding his left hand, she dragged him towards the door and out of the club.

"By the way, it's Hanji."

/

* * *

><p><strong>AN: hello guys!<strong>

**this story is inspired by my most favorite book of all times from Kluun. (it's dutch and the original title is 'komt een vrouw bij de dokter', i think the english version is simply 'love life' like the movie title) ... it's rather unknown (at least in austria) but the book is great and everyone should read it. **

**to mention it in advance: this story won't be _exactly_ like it is in the book. simple reasons: 1 - i will never be able to write such a masterpiece. 2 - i want to include eruri as well**

**(for all those who were hoping to find the sequel of 'On collision course' - sorry to disappoint you ^^)**


	2. Chapter 2

_._

_It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough /_

_man meets a woman and they fall in love /_

_but the house is haunted and the ride is rough /_

_and you've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above._

_(Bruce Springsteen, Tunnel of Love)_

_._

* * *

><p>On that day, it was hard for Levi to keep his eyes open. Gunther had already kicked him for the second time under the table. Knowing that it'd be better not anger him, Levi straightened his back and pretended that he was actually listening to their client. The sound of Levi's ringtone interrupted the clients blabber. He fished the mobile out of his pocket and looked at the display.<p>

_Incoming call: Hanji mob._

"Hello, Goddess," he said, happy that he could leave the table.

On the other line, his Goddess was crying.

"Hanji, what's wrong?" Levi asked alarmed.

"I'm at the hospital. They're afraid that it's something serious."

The hospital. Levi had completely forgotten that she had an appointment there that day. Two days ago, when Hanji was complaining that her nipple looked strange, Levi had suggested her to check it at the hospital.

"What did they say?" he asked.

"They're not sure either. The doctor also thinks that my nipple looks strange. I have to stay here so they can take a blood sample and then they'll give me an appointment for a biopsy, like last time, remember?" she said, her voice now calmer. Talking about facts and procedures always helped.

_Last time_ was half a year ago. Back then, they had the exactly same scenario; Hanji complaining about her breast and ending up in the hospital for a medical examination. That time, Dr. Wolters told her that she might have cancer. The uncertainty and fear that time had lasted for eight days, then Wolters told Hanji that her cells behaved strange and that he wasn't exactly sure why, but it wasn't cancer. In hindsight, wasn't it their own fault? _Not exactly sure_ – shouldn't they have insisted to check her up again, until the doctors were sure?

"You need me there?" Levi asked gently.

"No, I'm fine. But you could pick Amelie up. I don't know if I'll be done here before six."

When Levi came back to the table, Gunther gave him a questioning look. The raven just shook his head. No, he wasn't ready to talk about this topic. Not when he still had time to pretend that everything would turn out like it did six months ago; just false alarm.

.

On that day, Levi spent a ridiculous long time to pick Amelie up from kindergarten. He didn't want to admit it, but he was afraid of what awaited him at home.

"Daddy, are you okay?" the little girl asked when they arrived at their house. The black Beetle in the driveway signalised that Hanji was there already.

"Don't worry princess," he said, heaving her out of the car.

For a short moment, it was like any other day. Levi let Amelie down on the floor and the girl ran towards Hanji, squeaking a long-drawn-out "Mommy."  
>"Aaaamy," Hanji imitated the child's voice and bent down to hug her.<p>

On that day, this scene moved Levi more than usually.

However, as soon as Hanji let go of the child, she started crying again.

Levi couldn't do anything else then to hug her and repeat that everything would turn out alright. _Like last time, remember?_

.

The appointment for the biopsy was set 6 days later. Hanji went alone to the hospital, assuring Levi that he really didn't need to be there the whole time; she'd call him when they were done.

During the whole morning Levi was like a cat on a hot tin roof. He reacted irritated to every attempt of his co-workers to establish contact with him. Narrowly, his colleagues managed to bring him around to have lunch with them. They just finished their break when Hanji called.

"Hanji?" He didn't need to ask how she was feeling; he could hear it out of her voice.

"The doctor was here, and..." Hanji's voice on the other line was only a weak whisper. Levi could immediatelly tell that she was trying her hardest to hold back her tears.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes," he interrupted her, before she could say anything else.

.

Levi's heart was beating like crazy as he walked down the corridor of the oncology station of the St. Maria hospital. He stepped in the room where the nurse had told him Hanji was. She was already dressed in her coat, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her gaze was fixed at the window, and her hands were nervously playing with a crumpled-up tissue. On the floor next to her, Levi spotted another two tissues in the same state as the one in her hand. When Hanji noticed him, she hid her face in her palms; a gesture she only did when something bad happened. Without any words, Levi stepped beside her and hugged her. She started crying without restraint.  
>Levi still didn't have the courage to ask her anything. He couldn't do it, he was mute with rage.<p>

They stayed like that for a while, only Hanji's sobbing interrupting the silence in the room.

"What did they say?" Levi finally managed to ask, when Hanji's crying subsided.

"Cancer. Some very dangerous type, it's not a lump but a sort of inflammation and it has spread over the whole breast."

There they were. The words he had prayed for not to hear.

"Are they sure?" It was a stupid question, but it was the only thing that he could think of.

Hanji nodded. "It's called mastitis carci-something ..." she said looking at him and Levi nodded as if he would understand it. "Dr Wolters said that you can go and talk to him if you want."

Wolters. The name alone was enough to make Levi cringe.  
>During the last days Hanji and he had pretended that Wolters didn't exist. Questions from their friends and Hanji's mom, if there hasn't been made an enormous mistake 6 months ago, they always answered the same passive-aggressive way: Well, if the cancer was there 6 months ago, it would have been too late as well. End of the discussion.<br>Just the thought that Hanji would die because of a wrong diagnosis...

.

Wolters was sitting behind his desk, bound up in his work on his table. The door to the office was open. Levi cleared his throat and stepped in.

The doctor raised his head. "Hello, Mr. …?" he asked with a frown mien.

"Ackermann," Levi answered coldly. That bastard shouldn't forget that everything was his fault. "I'm Hanji Zoe's husband."

"Oh, I apologize. Hello, Mr. Ackermann," Wolters said and stood up quickly to shake Levi's hand. "Please, take a seat."

"I prefer standing. My wife is waiting."

"Right, you're here for the results of the biopsy, I assume?"

_No, I came to ask you for the result of yesterday's football match, asshole!_

"Yes."

"Well," Wolters started, sitting down in his chair again. "It doesn't look good."

"I understood that much," Levi said with a cynicism that the doctor probably didn't even noticed. "Can you explain me what it exactly is?"

Wolters started explaining. He talked about cells and that this time; they are malignant indeed. After the first few sentences, Levi lost track of the things Wolters said; he didn't understood a single word.

The raven interrupted the doctor to ask, how sure they were this time.

"Pretty sure. We still have some examinations to run, but it looks like inflammatory breast cancer. I'm afraid we can't do nothing more."

Levi nodded and Wolters stood up to shake his hand again.

"Well, Mr. Ackermann. I suggest that you two visit my colleague Dr. Wagner tomorrow. She'll elucidate you about the procedure that will follow now. Agreed?"

Levi nodded again. He couldn't say anything; he felt helpless. When one of their clients laid even one finger on his strategy, Levi would almost chop it off. Normally, he had no problems with stating his opinion. But towards that son of a bitch, who screwed up their lives, Levi behaved like a scarady-cat.

When he left the room, Hanji was already waiting on the corridor. Her gaze was still absent minded, but at least she had thrown away the tissue.

"Ready to leave?"

"Yeah." She even managed a small smile as she moved away from the wall she was leaning against. Together they went towards the elevator, none of them saying anything.

There wasn't much to say anyway. Reality had thrust its fist right into their faces.

.


	3. Chapter 3

_._

_I miss the times_

_I used to wake up_

_out of_

_nightmares,_

_and not into them._

_(Yuval K.)_

_._

* * *

><p>Back at home, Levi called Mike to tell him that Hanji had cancer. Half an hour later, the blonde was standing at the door with Nanaba. When Levi opened it, Nanaba gave him a long hug and stepped then into the living room, her coat and shoes still on. She hugged Hanji as well and the brunette started crying again. Mike did the same thing. "That's fucking bullshit," he stated, before he went into the living room. He was still wearing a suit; a sign that he didn't even go home after Levi had called.<p>

Among those four, Nanaba was the most level-headed at the moment. She suggested writing down all questions they had for Dr. Wagner tomorrow. Together they thought about questions and Levi wrote them down. Works like a charm. This way they managed to reduce the cancer down to a neutral object, at least for a while. Hanji hadn't cried for over an hour.

It was around ten when Mike and Nanaba left. After they were gone, Levi called Petra and Hanji went to the computer.

"Did he tell you the english term for it?" she asked after a while.

"Inflammatory breast cancer, I think."

"Inflammatory ... yeah, there it is," she said, staring at the computer screen. "That's kind of an ulcer that - if you intervene too late - enters in your blood cells. That's it, right?"

"I guess so," Levi answered warily, putting his mobile away and giving Hanji a suspicious look. He had the feeling that her research wouldn't end without tears and that was the last thing he needed this night.

"Well, that kinda sucks then," she mumbled, leaning closer to the screen. "Because if it's like that, chances that I'll live..." her voice cracked; " longer than 5 years are 40 percent!"

_40 percent._

"How do you know that this is it?" Levi asked irritated. "Are you sure you searched for the right thing?"

The moment this question was spoken aloud, he immediately regretted it. It wasn't that he doubted Hanji's search-skills, if anyone knew how to get at information about any topic, than it was Hanji. The thing that bothered Levi however, was a completely different one. He was unable to tolerate bad news; mostly because he didn't know how to act then. Hearing the fact aloud, made the whole situation realistic for him. In this regard he was like a little child: as long as no one confronted him with the problem, he could pretend that in the end everything would turn out good.

"Goddammit, Levi! I'm not stupid," she screamed. "It's written here, or not?"

Levi stepped next to her. Without looking at the screen, he turned the computer off. "Come on, let's bring you to bed."

With a confused mien Hanji looked at the desktop, then at Levi. First, she gave him a mad glare, and then she started crying. _Again._

He took her hand and dragged her upstairs to their bedroom. After a sheer endless crying fit, Hanji fell asleep in his arms. Levi, however, was wide awake. He tried his best, not to think about tomorrow, but every time he closed his eyes, he had the image of Hanji crying on the hospital bed on his mind.

.

The moment he woke up the next morning and realised that the day before wasn't a dream, it became reality.

Hanji had cancer.

.

Dr. Wagner shook their hands and told them to sit down. Then, she started reading in a file. Levi saw that it had Hanji's name on top. After a while, Wagner turned the page and continued to read, just as if Hanji and Levi weren't in the room. It was creepily silent in the room.

Levi had been holding Hanji's hand since they've entered the office. He felt a light pressure on it and turned his head in her direction. She gave him a wink and he shook his head, with his usual annoyed mien. Another minute passed and Wagner still hadn't spoken a word with them. Hanji started making weird faces, until it was too much for Levi to look at her. He turned away before he would start laughing, because he supposed that with a laughing-fit he wouldn't make himself pleasant to the doctor.

Finally, Dr. Wagner removed her eyes from the notes.

"How were the last few days?" she opened the conversation.

"Not that nice," Hanji summed it up with a great sense for understatement. "The thing I have is called inflammatory breast cancer, right?"

Wagner mustered Hanji stunned. "The official Latin term is mastitis carcinomatosa, but the English one is indeed inflammatory. Did Dr. Wolters tell you that?"

"He told it to Levi, actually. I did an internet research about it."

"You have to be cautious with such things," Wagner said, visibly annoyed that Hanji had the idea to look it up.

The night before, Levi was mad at Hanji for doing so many researches about that topic and getting herself in a miserable mood. Now however, he was proud at her; Hanji knew more about the topic than the doctors would like her to do.

"Is it true that my chances to live more than five years are 40 % ?"

"To be true, it's even less," Wagner said coldly; a visible attempt to spoil Hanji's fun to read articles on the internet. "You're still young, that means that the cells divide themselves quicker."

Hanji's grip strengthened.

"Is there a chance to remove it?" she asked with angst in her voice. "I mean, there are surgeries that can remove it, or not? In the worst case, you can remove the whole breast."

Levi looked at her in shock. Without batting an eye, his wife has agreed to cut away her breast. Just like that, as if she was talking about some banality like getting a haircut.

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy," Wagner said. Apparently, destroying patient's hopes was her speciality. "The ulcer is too big at the moment. There's a high chance that the cancer-cells would enter in your blood, if we'd cut it now. I suggest you to start with a chemotherapy first."

Chemotherapy. Levi and Hanji both were aware that this word would come up sooner or later, but hearing it now was a blow nevertheless.  
>Chemo meant: bald. Chemo meant: sick unto death.<br>Chemo meant: we-all-know-that-it-is-no-use-but-we-have-to-do-something.

Wagner continued. "The chemo-therapy attacks the whole body, thus we have the biggest chance to attack the cancer."

"What about radiotherapy?" Levi read one of the questions they've written down the night before. Hanji looked up with hope in her eyes. Yes, radiotherapy didn't sound as bad as chemotherapy.

"That would be no use. The radiotherapy attacks only one specific region, but we need to remove the cancer from the whole body. Therefore the chemotherapy," the doctor answered slightly irritated, since she was talking about this all along.

"Could you explain us the procedure of such a therapy?" Levi heard himself ask.

Now Wagner was completely in her element. She started talking about the concept of the therapy, but also about the side-effects. "You will lose your hair, maybe even your nails." Then, she talked about nausea and weight loss, even though Hanji had already started crying when Wagner had mentioned the hair loss. "Any more questions?"

Levi looked down on his notes. The following one surely wasn't the best to make Wagner like him. "I don't doubt your expertise or anything, it's just ... wouldn't it be better for my wife to get treatment in the Sina hospital. Since they are specialized in cancer-treatment…?"

Wagner looked at him angrily. "Mr. Ackermann, I can assure you that we use the same methods as they do. What's more, we discuss every patient and treatment together with the medics from Sina." Her gaze was still cold when she asked if there were any other questions.

Again Levi looked down at his note. What appeared to be a good question yesterday; turned out to be an unnecessary time delay now. "No, that's all."

"Good." Wagner stood up to shake their hands. "Please call us tomorrow to say whether you want the chemo or not."

After Hanji promised that she'd call, they left the office. For the second time in this week, they went down the long corridor to the elevator. Again, Levi felt the glances of the other patients on them. What a shame that they hadn't brought Amelie with them, it sure would make the picture of a broken family more complete; he thought bitterly.

.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I PROMISE THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE HAPPIER . <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

_._

_I think we like to complicate things_

_when it is really quite simple;_

_find what it is that makes you happy_

_and who it is that makes you happy _

_and you're set._

_promise._

_( Unknown*)_

_._

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

The 10th of October was public holiday in Trost. On this day everything, except for the bars and restaurants, was closed. Levi, in hopes that he would spend that day like he had done it all the other years, stood up in an unusually good mood. He even bathed Amelie and made breakfast, before Hanji even got up.

"How come you've made breakfast?" Hanji asked with a suspicious look at the well-laid garden-table on their terrace. Despite the fact that it was already October, it was still warm outside; therefore Levi had decided that they all should eat on the terrace.

He put Amelie down in her baby-chair and sat down on his usual spot. "It's the 10th of October," he reminded her.

"Oh, I see." Hanji's response was cold when she sat down as well, listlessly putting some cheese on her plate. Levi had expected her to be in a miserable mood - _who wouldn't if they were the one dying while the whole town was celebrating a stupid day_ - yet, he contained himself from giving a sharp comment about it. There were more important things that day, and he didn't wanted to ruin Hanji's mood even more.

"You know," he started slowly while he was feeding Amelie with her favourite puree. "Petra said she'll stop by later."

"That's nice," Hanji gave in response.

Levi nodded and dipped the red plastic spoon - which was the only eating utensil Amelie allowed to come near her mouth - into the puree for another small portion. Surprisingly, the girl had already finished more than half of the bowl.  
>"Yeah ... But she won't stay long. The 'Titan' is opening for the season again, and the guys from the office have planned to go there for a drink." Even though the 'Titan' was a night club, it was also open during the day on the 10th. No matter how strange this concept seemed to be, after a 3 months-break the club had during the summer, every one of their guests was so glad that it had opened again, that the nightclub became the most popular place to be during this day.<p>

Hanji looked up from her plate. "So?"

It was a very hostile so.

"Well, Gunther has tickets for the whole office ..."

"But I don't want you to go," she interrupted him coldly.

"It's the re-opening party. I'm going there every year," Levi said, now visibly annoyed.

"I don't want to sit here alone while you're getting wasted in a night club in the middle of the day," she countered.

Just as Levi was about to shout something back, the doorbell rang. Throwing him a last poisonous glare, Hanji stood up and disappeared in the house. "You know what," he whispered, looking at Amelie; "your mother is making me crazy." The little girl tilted her head and looked at him with her big hazel eyes. "Let's go to see Petra," he mumbled and took her out of the chair.

.

Petra stayed for half an hour. She was on tenterhooks to finally get to the Titan and her gaze was wandering to her wristwatch the whole time. Hanji on the other side pretended she wasn't noticing anything. She smiled and chatted causally with the other woman. Only Levi didn't do anything to hide his anger. He drank his coffee with the darkest scowl a human being could even have.

"Are you sure you can't come," Petra asked with a low voice when he saw her to the door.

"Yes," he responded briefly.

Petra gave him a look of commiseration and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'll make sure to drink one or two in your name."

With those words she was gone and Levi left at the door. He saw some of their neighbours passing by; everyone was on their way to the town centre. It was the only public holiday in Trost, the weather was warm and sunny and Levi cursed the whole world. If you'd ask him, today it should rain pitchforks. Why should anyone enjoy this day, when he had to stay at home?

He went back to the living room and plumped down on the couch with a long-drawn sigh.

"You could at least pretend that it doesn't annoy you," Hanji snarled. She had her feet on the couch and was zipping through the TV-channels aimlessly.

"But it does," he shot back.

"Well, I'm _so _sorry I'm sick," she shouted cynically. "Not like it's my fault that I have cancer."

"Neither it's mine," Levi answered waspishly, whereon Hanji jumped up from the couch and threw the remote on it. Without any words she rushed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

The raven suppressed a scream. God, she was making him mad! He felt the urge to grab his car keys and just disappear for the rest of the day. Yet, he didn't do it. He stood up and went upstairs to their bedroom. The door was open and he stopped there, leaning against the doorframe. Hanji was lying on her stomach, her face buried in the pillow. Surprisingly, there was no crying-noise. Levi sighed and entered the room, slowly sitting down on the bed-edge next to Hanji. She remained silent.

"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said this," he started, his right hand rubbing her back. "I understand that you don't feel like partying, but we can't stay inside for the whole time and burry our faces in pillows." Her shoulders twitched, followed by a strange noise; a sign that Hanji tried to hold back a laugh. "How about we go to the park with Amelie?"

Hanji turned her head, so that she could see him. "I'm sorry too," she mumbled poutedly, which made Levi smile.

.

On 10th of October, the park in Trost was reserved for the kids. There were small stalls placed along the path, where some 10 year olds sold things they've made in school or cookies. The whole concept of brats making cookies was ridiculous for Levi; when he was in that age he sure as hell didn't made any cookies and he was pretty sure neither of his friends had done so. In the middle of the park, there was a small stage built up, where kids were reciting some shit, only their parents could find interesting.  
>Since Amelie didn't want to go to the playground, they stopped to watch the show on the stage.<p>

"Elementary school Trost presents …" was written over a banner.

A little boy, Levi estimated that he was around 8, stepped on the stage. "And now Simon will recite us 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' by Goethe," a too friendly smiling woman – probably a teacher - announced into the microphone, before she handed it over to Simon.

Simon started blabbering and Levi found that the brat had a too serious expression for a child. Who the hell did even let his child learn Goethe by heart? And who the hell let his child wear a bow-tie with a normal t-shirt?

"If this was my child," Hanji whispered, leaning closer to Levi; "I would consider postnatal abortion."

Levi started laughing and he quickly covered his mouth, pretending he was coughing, when a few parents turned around. "I'd support this decision," he responded with a serious voice after he calmed down.

When Simon was done, the parents applauded and Hanji, who was holding Amelie in her arms, started laughing, probably thinking about her previous joke. Their daughter joined her and Levi couldn't help but smile. It was good to have 'his old Hanji' back.

Next, a very cocky looking girl in a yellow dress stepped on the stage.

"God, this kid looks even more big-headed than Auruo when holding a presentation," Levi stated.

"And this dress! How can you buy your child such an ugly dress?" Hanji asked.

"I know right!" Levi pretended to look as shocked as she did.

"Amy, never wear such an ugly dress," Hanji told their daughter seriously, then she looked at Levi and smiled widely. Making fun of other kids -who could only dream about being as smart and beautiful as Amelie was - was Hanji and Levi's favourite hobby when they were in the park. Largely because most of the parents here were rich snobs and it was always fun to make fun rich snobs.

The girl in yellow placed a small black suitcase on the table and took out a clarinet. She started playing and Levi could Hanji desperately trying to supress her laughter.

" I'd rather pick Amelie up from the police, than from clarinet lessons," Levi said and Hanji lost her self-composure. The parents in front of them turned around with angry miens.

Two minutes later, the three of them were sitting in a café, laughing at the fact that they've managed to get banned from a park.

.

When they finally arrived at their house, it was already dark outside.

"See, it wasn't that bad," Levi said while he was taking off his coat.

Hanji placed a quick kiss on Levi's cheek and gave him a wink. "Thank you for today," she whispered, before she took the sleeping Amelie out of her buggy and carried her upstairs.

.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: making fun of other people's kids is definitely a thing those tow dorks would do. <strong>  
><strong>and if you think that it's unrealistic that kids have to learn Goethe by heart in elementary school, then i can assure you that you're wrong.<strong>

**to answer your questions about Hanji dying: yes, originally i have planned to let her die at the end of the story. _originally .  
><em>i can't tell you whether i'll really do it or not, since i never know beforehand in which direction the story will head ...**

***if someone knows whose quote it is, please tell me :)**


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